King baseball coach Gabriel Perez faced what is one of the toughest situations a coach can face during a career on Tuesday.

He had to help his players celebrate an emotional victory but also break the news to them that one of their classmates had died in the time they were playing their game.

Perez said he had not learned of the death of King junior Rai-ane Garza until after the game from one of his assistant coaches. Mixed in the elation of a thrilling 5-4 eight-inning victory against rival Veterans Memorial, Perez had to tell his players about the hit-and-run accident that also injured another King student near the school.

“It just brings you back to reality of what life really is about,” Perez said Wednesday afternoon. “We love sports and we love competing but life is so fragile and anything can just happen. You never know when the next day is going to be there. We were in a great mood and then we had to break the news to them.”

Perez said the baseball team did not yet have any official plans to honor Garza prior to Thursday’s game against Carroll at Whataburger Field, but they were working to put something together.

On the field, the Mustangs scored the winning run in the eighth inning when Andrew Delgadillo slapped a single to score the winning run. King is 2-0 in District 30-5A’s South Zone and Perez said he expects another intense game against a resurgent Tiger squad.

“When you only have eight district games, the intensity is just through the roof for every game,” Perez said. “You have to be ready with such a short schedule and I’ve said it before I think we have the toughest district in the state.”

There was a combined one hit and one run between Tuloso-Midway and Moody on Tuesday night in a District 30-5A softball game, again showing how tight and intense the games will be in this district.

Tuloso-Midway had the one run and Moody had the one hit. Cherokees ace pitcher Breanna Reyna threw a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts in earning the victory, and Moody pitcher Karyme Carreno threw a no-hitter in the loss. Carreno had eight strikeouts.

The win was big for the Cherokees, who want to continue to keep pace with the teams at the tape while Moody has lost two straight and is in must-win mode to avoid missing the postseason again.

The pressure is only going to increase.

CLOSE TO CLINCHING

The Rockport-Fulton softball team is close to clinching a playoff berth. The Pirates are 8-0 in District 31-4A and with a win against Ingleside on Thursday will clinch a playoff berth.

Rockport-Fulton (16-5 overall) continues the second half of the 31-4A schedule with Ingleside, Orange Grove and Sinton in consecutive games.

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Benquete's Isaak DeLa Paz throws a pitch during the fifth inning of their game against Bishop at Whataburger Field on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.(Photo11: Courtney Sacco/Caller-Times)

GAMES TO WATCH

Baseball

Ray at Tuloso-Midway, 5 p.m., Whataburger Field — A win by either team helps them keep pace in the North Zone playoff race.

Carroll vs. King, 8 p.m., Whataburger Field — If this game is like some of the other games in the South Zone, hang on, this one could be a classic.

Falfurrias at Banquete, 7 p.m. — The Jerseys have been on-point for much of this season facing a Banquete team that rebounded from its loss to Bishop by beating London.

Softball

Veterans Memorial at Calallen, 7 p.m. — Another monster game in a schedule filled with them. Veterans Memorial is almost in must-win mode after Tuesday’s loss to rival Carroll.

Orange Grove at Sinton, 7 p.m. — Two of the best teams in 31-4A battle as they try to keep pace with Rockport-Fulton.

INFOBOX

POWER RANKINGS

Picking these rankings only gets tougher as the season progresses, especially District 30-5A softball. But we take another stab at it as a new No. 1 has emerged in 30-5A softball.